The invention relates to an assembly and method of utilization thereof for the minimization of noise and vibration in a spinning or twisting ring assembly for textile yarns. There have been numerous prior attempts to minimize spinning ring noise and vibration, some of which have used rings made of plastic or elastomeric material (see U.S. Pat. No. 2,796,727 and French Pat. No. 1,274,858 for typical embodiments), and others of which provide an elastomeric ring holder for mounting a metal ring to a ring rail around the entire ring periphery (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 410,256, 2,454,707 and 3,974,634 as examples). While such structures do eliminate a significant amount of noise and vibration, even with such arrangements some spinning and twisting ring assemblies continue to be noisy structures, and it is generally not feasible to bring them within OSHA noise limits.
The present invention is primarily directed toward reduction of noise in spinning ring horizontal traveler systems, but it is believed broadly applicable to twisting ring and vertical traveler systems as well. It is more specifically concerned with the further reduction of noise in those noise-reducing ring systems of the type where a resilient preferably elastomeric ring holder is employed to mount a metal ring, carrying a metal traveler.
Today's noise-reducing elastomeric or resilient ring holders come in differing forms, depending on the individual manufacturer. In several forms, besides the elastomeric ring holder itself, there is commonly present some kind of rigid holder support member, the latter typically mounted beneath and/or around the elastomeric member. The support member, which usually serves both as a support and as a means for attachment of the ring holder to the ring rail, is commonly made of metal or high-modulus plastic. In one typical embodiment it comprises a flat metal plate beneath and firmly cemented or molded to the ring holder, but it may take other forms as well, two of which are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,634. The support member typically includes two or more lugs, each bearing a hole or slot for rigidly bolting or screwing the combined ring assembly to the ring rail.
According to the present invention, the significance of noise associated with spinning and twisting ring assemblies has been taken into account to provide a further, surprising, improvement in a noise-reducing system. Thus, according to the present invention, it has unexpectedly been found that when mechanical compliance is provided between the ring holder support and the ring rail, noise from the system is further dramatically reduced. It has also been found that when the ring holder support is mounted to the ring at only two points spaced about 180.degree. from each other utilizing elastomeric bushings, the ring is observed to be moving slightly when the traveler is in motion, thereby helping to reduce noise apparently emanating from ring/traveler interaction. Utilizing the teachings of the present invention, it is possible to bring spinning and twisting ring assemblies within OSHA noise standards in some cases where prior art structures had not proved sufficient.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a spinning or twisting ring assembly for mounting a metal traveler and adapted to be mounted to a ring rail is provided. The assembly includes, in downward succession, a metal ring for mounting the traveler, an annular ring holder of resilient preferably elastomeric material, and a rigid holder support having a plurality of openings formed therein for receipt of fasteners for attaching the support and therewith the entire assembly to a ring rail. Additionally, a plurality of fasteners are provided for receipt by the openings in the support, and in particular, bushing means of elastomeric material for cooperation with the fasteners to attach the support to a ring rail, thereby isolating the support from the ring rail so that no portion of the support touches the ring rail, and no metal portion of the fasteners touches the ring rail. The support openings preferably consist of two utilized openings spaced about 180.degree. from each other in lugs around the periphery of the support, with a fastener associated with each of the two utilized openings. The bushing means can comprise a grommet of elastomeric material or an elastomeric tube having a flange formed at one end thereof for engaging a fastener head, and having a metal nut captive within and by the interior surface of the tube at the other end thereof for engaging a fastener shank.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a spinning or twisting ring assembly is provided including a metal ring for supporting the traveler, an annular ring holder of resilient, preferably elastomeric material, a rigid holder support having first and second openings spaced about 180.degree. apart, and first and second fasteners for fastening the support at, and only at, the corresponding first and second openings provided for attachment of the assembly to a ring rail. The assembly further includes first and second bushing means of elastomeric material for disposition between the holder support and the ring rail for mounting the ring assembly at only the first and second support fastener-receiving openings so that the ring is allowed to move slightly with the traveler. The assembly is provided in combination with a ring rail having first and second bores at each spinning or twisting position for receipt of the fasteners. The bores extend between the first and second parallel spaced faces of the ring rail, and each of the bushing means lines a ring rail bore with which it is associated, in addition to being disposed between the support and the ring rail and engaging each of the parallel surfaces of the ring rail.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of mounting a spinning ring assembly to a ring rail is provided. The method is practiced by placing the bushings in operative association with the bores in the ring rail, each bushing lining the bore in which it is disposed and engaging the ring rail parallel surfaces; inserting the fastener shank through each opening in the support and mounting the support so that the shank extends through a bushing to the opposite side of the ring rail with the head of the fastener operatively engaging the support, and with a portion of the bushing disposed between the support and the ring rail; and effecting relative movement between each fastener shank and the fastener shank-holding component associated therewith so that the support is held tightly to the ring rail with a portion of each bushing being held between the ring rail and a shank-holding component.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a spinning or twisting ring assembly and a method of utilization thereof which minimize noise and vibration. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.